RiverValley Behavioral Health has launched their “NARCAN – A Life Worth Saving” campaign, with the purpose of increasing educational and awareness initiatives to prevent overdoses in the community.
This campaign aims to educate Daviess County and surrounding communities about substance use disorders and prevention, as well as equip community members with Narcan, a lifesaving medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.
“We know that substance misuse addiction does not discriminate, so it is vital that we spread awareness far and wide that Narcan can, and does, save lives from opioid overdoses and that those lives are worth saving,” said Brooke Arnold, Senior Director of the RVBH Regional Prevention Center. “Equipping individuals with not only Narcan, but also with education and resources, is a way for us to combat the disease. This campaign, coupled with our opioid overdose prevention training that promotes intervention, treatment, and recovery, will instill a sense of hope for individuals and families impacted by substance misuse.”
In 2022, nearly 110,000 people died in the United States from drug overdoses. In Kentucky, there were 2,135 overdose deaths recorded, according to the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bystanders are present in approximately 1 in 3 opioid overdoses, with someone being present in nearly 2 out of 3 overdose deaths.
RVBH representatives said having Narcan available and providing education about the lifesaving effects of the medication and how to use it allows bystanders to help prevent a fatal overdose and save lives.
“Our goal with this campaign is to help increase harm reduction, prevent overdoses, and decrease the stigma associated with Narcan and substance use disorders in our communities,” said Nicki Feher, RVBH Vice President of Nursing & Prescriber Services. “Overdose can happen to anyone and having Narcan on hand can help prevent an opioid overdose and save a life.”
Narcan quickly reverses an opioid overdose and restores breathing within 2 to 3 minutes in a person whose breath has slowed, or even stopped, as a result of opioid overdose.
According to a release from RVBH, “Narcan will not harm someone if they’re overdosing on drugs other than opioids, so it’s always best to use it if you think someone is overdosing. If you give someone Narcan, stay with them until emergency help arrives. Good Samaritan laws are in place in most states to protect those who are overdosing and anyone assisting them in an emergency from arrest, charges, or a combination of these.”
To learn more about Narcan, how to get trained on administering it, and where to pick up a free dose, visit rvbh.com/narcan.
